Job interviews are no easier than in the past. You have a limited amount of time to meet new people, express yourself well and impress employers. Moreover, online interviews play a big role in today’s world of work and can pose some challenges even for experienced candidates. However, there are some strategies you can implement to prepare for online interviews and make the most of the process.
Adapt to Technology
During the pandemic, we’ve all been introduced to platforms like Zoom and used them frequently, but there may be other video interview platforms that your potential employers may prefer. If you haven’t used the platform you’ve been invited to interview on before, download it in advance, create an account and try it out before the interview to get familiar with it. Messing around with the settings just before your interview can make you look flustered and cause problems during the interview.
Do Your Preparation
Video interviews require more than just dressing appropriately. Make sure your seat is well-lit and that pets or children will not come into your room during the interview. Also pay attention to the sound quality of your device; the built-in microphones on some computers in particular may not work well. You don’t want to repeat what you say during the interview. You can practice beforehand to make sure you look and sound professional if needed. This can also boost your confidence.
Video Interviews Also Have Their Advantages
Take advantage of these benefits of online interviews. For example, keep some job-related materials with you. Since interviewers usually have a limited field of view, you can have some notes or your CV ready outside the camera’s field of view. But remember that you are in an interview; only glance at notes when you need to, rather than reading them all the time. Otherwise you may come across as unprofessional. Since you are not face-to-face in an online interview, it may be more difficult to understand body language. For this reason, do not prefer looking at your notes all the time during the online interview to being an active listener and taking the floor when necessary.
Be Prepared for Problems
Technology can sometimes cause unexpected problems. Especially if you are in an important online job interview, the risk is higher when things go wrong. The key is to be prepared in advance for potential problems and to have an alternative plan in place. For example, by keeping the contact details of the person you will be interviewing with handy, you can quickly notify them if there are problems and make alternative arrangements. There may be situations that are out of your control, the important thing is to react in the right way.
We hope these tips will be useful to you and help you achieve your goal in an important online interview or job interview. Always be prepared and we are sure you will achieve the best result!